Norway – a Nato member – shares an Arctic border with Russia and for many years their relations have been amicable, even throughout the Chilly Warfare. However ties have worsened since 2014, when Russia annexed Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula.

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Mr Novikov, quoted by AFP information company, mentioned Berg “expects his authorities to undertake diplomatic efforts” and “we see no sensible use in interesting”.

“He is been used with out his data,” Mr Novikov mentioned. “We can not discuss gathering any secret data.”

He warned that, on the age of 63, Berg was going through “mainly a life sentence”.

The BBC’s Sarah Rainsford in Moscow says Berg was accused of posting envelopes containing money and directions from Norwegian intelligence, most lately to a Russian lady, named Natasha.

The doable position of a Russian defence ministry contact, who was allegedly below Russian surveillance, stays murky.